These Shia and Sunni Sufi children and their parents in Houla were murdered by Saudi-sponsored Salafi militants.

Syria: Massacre Likely By Al Qaeda
Currently every “western” country seems to be busy to expel Syrian diplomats. So far Australia, France, the U.K., Germany and Canada have done so. Others will likely follow later today.

I believe that this is happening now to catch the headlines and thereby to cover up different rather inconvenient news item that ran a few hours ago.

After the Houla massacre the UN monitors emphasized that some ammunition debris was found in the area and that this pointed to government guilt in the killing. That was also emphasized in the UN security council press statement. But earlier today the severity of these allegations were seriously degraded:

Most of the 108 people killed in Syria’s Houla region on Friday were summarily executed, the UN says. … Rupert Colville, spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, told journalists in Geneva that initial investigations suggested that fewer than 20 of the victims in the village of Taldou, near Houla, were killed by artillery or tank fire. “Most of the rest of the victims in Taldou,” he added, “were summarily executed in two separate incidents.”

Most of the people were killed by throat cutting or by direct gun/pistol fire. The killing happened in an area that is supposedly under the control of the Free Syrian Army.

How could the Syrian government be responsible for this? And why would a government with all its military might resort to such by-hand killing? How would ut supposedly benefit from this?

It is by now well known that AlQaeda like groups are active in Syria. Such are known to have created such massacres, including by beheading, in Iraq and elsewhere.

But as this becomes more clear “western” governments are busy to create some new headlines and to punish the Syrian government for something that was very likely outside of its realm of control.

Media scoundrels use it to manipulate and control public thinking and perceptions. News and information are filtered. Acceptable “residue” only is reported.

Dissent is marginalized. Government and dominant private interests are prioritized.

Michael Parenti explained:

“The enormous gap between what US leader do….and what American’s think their leaders are doing is one of the great propaganda accomplishments….”

In their book titled “Propaganda and Persuasion,” Garth Jowett and Victoria O’Donnell defined their topic as “the deliberate, systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate cognitions, and direct behavior to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the propagandist.”

Richard Alan Nelson described the technique as follows:

“Propaganda is neutrally defined as a systematic form of purposeful persuasion that attempts to influence the emotions, attitudes, opinions, and actions of specified target audiences for ideological, political or commercial purposes through the controlled transmission of one-sided messages (which may or may not be factual) via mass and direct media channels.”

“A propaganda organization employs propagandists who engage in propagandism—the applied creation and distribution of such forms of persuasion.”

Propaganda has different forms. Advertisers use it to generate sales. So do politicians to get elected. Religious leaders use it to indoctrinate the faithful. So do nations to promote their agendas.

When war is planned, it’s used to create fear, demonize enemies, dehumanize them, falsely accuse them of atrocities and other crimes, and enlist public support for intervention for alleged humanitarian reasons.

In 1917, George Creel first used propaganda successfully to turn pacifist Americans into raging German-haters.

In his 1928 book titled “Propaganda,” Edward Bernays said it’s possible to “regiment the public mind every bit as much as an army regiments their bodies.”

“If we understand the mechanism and motives of the group mind, is it not possible to control and regiment the masses according to our will without their knowing about it?”

“The twentieth century has been characterized by three developments of great political importance: the growth of democracy, the growth of corporate power, and the growth of corporate propaganda as a means of protecting corporate power against democracy.”

It’s also used to launch wars, trick enemies for strategic purposes, and deceive the public while waging them. Media scoundrels play a crucial role. People are manipulated to think aggressive wars are just ones.

Post-9/11, America waged multiple direct and proxy wars. They continue without end. Obama itches for more. Syria is target one, then Iran, then other nations for unchallenged US dominance. At issue is can humanity survive?

On June 11, Global Research published Russian journalist Marat Musin’s firsthand observations of what really happened at Houla. He exposed media scoundrel misinformation and lies. Doing so provided a vital service.

Western-enlisted death squads bear full responsibility. Government forces and/or so-called pro-Assad shabbiha had no involvement.

Scoundrel media and Western officials provided fabricated accounts of what went on. It was classic, duplicitous propaganda. It rages to enlist public support for war.

Musin’s article is powerful reading. Circulating it widely is important. Only public rage can stop wars. Nothing else works. Knowing the truth and spreading it has impact. Imperial America and war profiteers fear that most.

It’s time ordinary people got radicalized for their own well-being. Focus first on ending imperial wars. Imagine what’s possible at peace. Imagine public needs prioritized over conquests and domination. If that’s not worth fighting for, what is?

Below is a snapshot of what Musin wrote. Read his article for the full account.

On May 25, Houla was attacked by hundreds of “bandits and mercenaries.”

Ar-Rastan-based and Free Syrian Army terrorists were responsible.

Civilians abandoned the town of Ar-Rastan. Lebanese Wahhabi/Salafist extremists dominate the area. With foreign money and weapons, they carry out terrorist attacks.

“After a visual inspection of (Houla), it is impossible to find traces of any of fresh destruction, bombing and shelling….Militants used heavy weapons and snipers…”

Official and scoundrel media reports wreak of inconsistencies and duplicity.

“Militants opened fire on virtually everyone who tries to get closer to (Houla). Before us a UN convoy was fired upon and two armored jeeps of the UN observers were damaged, when they tried to drive up to an army checkpoint in Tal Dow.”

“….(M)any of the militants are professional snipers.”

“….(B)andits even fired an automatic burst on our group of journalists….”

About 108 civilians were killed, including 38 or more young children. They were executed in cold blood. They were pro-government loyalists.

Musin discussed media disinformation, saying:

“To exert pressure on public opinion and change the positions of Russia and China, texts and subtitles in Russian and Chinese languages were prepared in advance, reading:

‘Syria – Homs – the city of Hula. A terrible massacre perpetrated by the armed forces of the Syrian regime against civilians in the town of Houla. Dozens of victims and their number is growing, mainly women and children, brutally killed by indiscriminate bombing of the CITY.’ “

“Two days later, on May 27, after the residents’ stories and video recordings made showed that the facts do not support the allegation of shelling and bombing, the bandits’ videos had undergone significant changes.”

“At the end of the text appeared this postscript: ‘And some were killed with knives.’ “

“No sane person can believe some of this session’s sponsors when they show sorrow and pain for the victims at the time when they participate in killing the Syrians and shedding their blood,” he added.

On June 1, the Human Rights Council met to discuss Syria. Washington pressure assured its conclusions in advance.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, blamed Assad for killer gang crimes. She wrongly said the “Syrian military allegedly unleashed a barrage of heavy weapons on” Houla, “including artillery and tank fire….” She also blamed “pro-government Shabiha paramilitary groups….”

Doing so ignored clear evidence of responsibility. She wants government officials prosecuted at the International Criminal Court. Western and complicit regional states’ accountability wasn’t mentioned.

On June 2, the State Department claimed satellite images show Houla mass graves. Assad was named responsible. Alleged nearby artillery craters were also shown.

So-called images can be easily manipulated and/or fabricated. They can also be from other areas unrelated to Houla or Syria. State Department claims are spurious and unverified. So are scoundrel media reports about them.

On Friday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said preliminary government investigations showed a well-planned operation carried out by gunmen intent on violence, not a diplomatic solution to Syria’s conflict.

He blamed weapons and funding supplied foreign mercenaries.

Houla killings advanced the ball closer to war. Launching it could happen anytime, with or without Security Council authorization.

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening. http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour.

Outside support for the myriad of Syria’s armed groups is no secret. Saudi Arabia and Qatar alone funnel millions of dollars to the rebels every month. But, as Gayane Chichakyan reports, it’s not just cash and weapons being smuggled into Syria, but suicide bombers and ideology too.

Why? You Sunnis are just not knowledgeable enough to understand the fact that your own book: Sahih Bukhari says: Prophet Muhammed (s.a.w.s) took the hand of Ali, and said: Whomsoever’s master I am, Ali is his too!
So why the hell do you deny that ha? He never said: Umar Moula, neither Abu Bakr Moula nor Uthman Moula! But ALI MOULA!
Nonetheless, Trimidhi says that Umar came up to the door of Fatima the daughter of Prophet Muhammed (s.a.w.s), and he knocked down the door, and killed Fatima along with her few months old baby WITH IN HER WOMB!
Mind you these are not Shia books, neither Wahabi, but Sunni books, so why do you say good to Umar?
Stay there! Listen, if that wasn’t enough, the Quran’s always the judging point!:
O Muhammed, definitely, have we made the household of your’s the purest, the cleanest, verily they are far away from even the extent of any evilness! They are the best. (33:33) (Translation my vary). But still! It’s the truth! The word Household, is no other but the AhlulBayt!
So take a lesson! O thy with eyes!
(59:2)

A Disgusting method of spreading Islam, Fie upon these enemies of Islam, my dear brothers and sisters, these people (Al Qaeda and Taliban) are the Kharajites, on which the humiliation took birth after Imam Ali (a.s) battered them to the ultimate defeat and reality, these people are cowards!
“How Dare you ask the performance of Jihad, when your eyes were covered lke a woman in Niqab!”
“Therefore take a lesson! O thy who have eyes!”
(Quran: 59:2)